Surrogacy
by Lawral
Summary: The one thing they want in the world may be the hardest thing to get.
1. Prologue

Surrogacy  
Author: Lawral  
Pairing: McGee/Ziva  
Rating: FR15  
Summary: The one thing they want in the world may be the hardest thing to get.  
Notes: Written for Mary who won the Help Haiti Auction.  
Additional Notes: I know it's really late by now but I had to concentrate on my History Paper that was due. Some things had to be put on back burner and Mary graciously understood. Thank you so much for your patience, Mary!

Ziva held fast to the hand inside hers. Everything would work out, she was sure of it. Something would finally go right and she'd be on her way to motherhood. She shifted uncomfortably and tried to will her hand to stop shaking. Suddenly she felt like a sapling in the hands of a toddler. The small screen to her left was still black but soon she hoped that it would show the life that she and Tim had created together.

"Sorry," Ziva commented lightly as she released the hand and dragged it across the front of her shirt before clasping at the dropped hand once more. A chuckle was the only response.

"Alright, Mrs. McGee, shall we see if you are expecting?" The doctor asked while holding what looked like a long, fat rod in his hand.

"Expecting what?" Ziva asked.

The same chuckle grabbed her attention. "He means, are you ready to see if you're pregnant?"

"Oh! Oh, yes. Quite ready." She smiled brightly.

Behind her eyes, Ziva was scared to death. She hadn't been more scared since the morning of their wedding when Tony had had the brilliant idea of telling her McGee had fled the country in the middle of the night. She closed her eyes and pictured how he had looked while Gibbs had walked her slowly toward the alter with Tony standing next to him and Abby waiting patiently opposite them.

"Ok, Ziva?" She heard the doctor say. "Open your eyes."

She shook her head violently like a little kid who was refusing to each brussel sprouts. "I can't do it again. I can't see another empty screen."

"Ziva," The soft, calm voice that belonged to the hand said. "Ziva, you have to open your eyes. Trust me."

She took a deep breath and opened one eye and then the other. On the screen, inside a small circle of black was a oblong white spot. She could just make out the four little branches that were starting to form.

"You're pregnant."

"I'm pregnant?" Ziva asked as she looked down to the person who was speaking to her.

Abby lay with a hand resting under her head, her bare feet poking out of metal stirrups and a paper sheet covering her nether regions. The smile on her face was the widest (if it were possible) that Ziva had ever seen during the five years they'd worked together.

"Congratulations," The doctor said as he put away the long rod. "All right, Miss Scuito, you may get dressed and I'll see you two in four weeks."

Ziva was still staring at the frozen monitor with the little white blob and hadn't even noticed Abby get dressed again and stand to watch her friend marvel at what would soon be the newest member of the McGee family. The newest member of Team Gibbs, safely tucked away in Abigail Scuito's womb.


	2. Testing

***Four months earlier***

"Why on Earth would you want to have a baby?" Tony asked. "Babies are so…"

"Well we've worked with you for the past six years, I'd say that is an equivalent to a parenting class."

Tony gaped at the younger agent. "Hey!"

Tim was seated behind his desk typing up his report on the case they'd closed the evening before. The entire conversation had started after Tim had answered Ziva's forgotten phone; it had been her turn to get lunch for the team. Tony would rather pick up lunch but decided that Ziva's taste was slightly better than the tofu wraps that Kate had always tried to feed them. The phone call had been to confirm an appointment the pair had at a fertility clinic the next day.

"Forget it, I shouldn't have told you." Tim said as he returned his attention back to his report.

"Oh no, you can't tell me something like you and Ziva trying to have a baby and expect me to just forget it." Tony had still been getting used to his team mates being together.

McGee sighed and once more turned away from the report he had to finish before the end of the day. "Not that I need to explain it but awhile ago Ziva thought she was pregnant and seemed upset when we found out she wasn't. So, we talked and decided to have a baby. Why is that so hard to understand?"

Tony thought for a moment. He'd never seen his two partners happier than when they started seeing each other. At first he had been slightly jealous that McGee had wooed the beautiful Ziva David. He could tell that the pair had grown closer over the time they'd all spent apart.

"How long ago?" He asked sincerely.

"We just got our fifth negative. So Ziva called this doctor and he ran some tests. Tomorrow we go back for the results."

"Whew, five." Tony got to his feet and walked over to clap his hand on Tim's shoulder. McGee looked up to the older man and thought that he might actually be sympathetic to the McGees' plight. "Not getting the job done, eh, McGoo?"

Tim shook Tony's hand off his shoulder and scowled. "I haven't heard any complaints from Ziva."

"Hey," Tony said closing his eyes and turning away.

"Jealous?" Tim laughed.

"More like worried. You're sleeping with a trained assassin." Tony said as the elevator bell rang.

Tim looked up to see Ziva walking toward them with a bag balancing on top of a quartet of soft drinks. "Yes, I am."

"Yes you are what?" Ziva asked as she set the food on her desk.

Tim only smiled in response.

*****

Ziva and Tim sat in front of the wooden desk trying to steady their pounding hearts. He looked around the room at the numerous degrees and photos. There was an entire board full of family photos.

"Tim?"

McGee turned to look at Ziva and squeezed her hand lightly. Today they were finding out the results of the test that might help them learn why they were having trouble having a baby.

"Tim, what if this is bad news?"

He was taken back for a moment. He could only remember a single occasion when Ziva had doubted herself. She was a former assassin who hardly ever blinked twice but at the moment she was a woman whose emotions were hanging on the words the doctor would tell them.

"Honey," Tim said and leaned over to kiss her. "I won't give up as long as you don't. We'll have a baby, I promise."

Behind them the door opened and the short, pudgy man walked in with a smile. He shook Tim's hand in passing and then took a seat behind his desk. "Tim, Ziva, how are you today?"

Ziva could only fake a soft smile while Tim spoke. "We're anxious, I suppose."

"Understandable." He looked under his arms to the folder on his desk. "Shall I get to the results then?"

Tim squeezed Ziva's hand lightly as Dr. Westley opened the folder and looked down briefly. It appeared that he was choosing his words carefully. Tim already knew the answer without even being told.

"Mr. and Mrs. McGee-"

***

Tim sat behind his computer screen looking at it with a blank stare. The blinking curser tormented him but his mind kept traveling back to the report the doctor had given them a few hours prior. McGee had taken Ziva straight home and she went inside without complaint as he drove back to work.

"McGoo," Tony said, throwing his jacket on the side table and sinking into his chair.

Tim looked up at him quickly and then returned his gaze to the empty computer screen. Tony looked over to the younger agent and then noticed the empty desks opposite him. Gibbs was downstairs with Abby going over a DNA analysis from the case they were working on.

"Hey, where is Mrs. McMama?"

"I took her home." McGee said as he closed the open document and leaned back in his chair for a moment, gliding his hands down his face.

Tony's eyes widened and he leaned back in his chair. "You had the doctor appointment today. So, tell me, what's wrong with you?"

McGee didn't even look at the elder man as he sat back up and tried to start his report once more. He had expected this from Tony. When it came to tact, Tony always came up a little short.

"It's ok, McGee. We're both men- well a man and a McGee. Anyway, tell me." Tim threw a glare at his partner. "Shooting blanks?"

"Tony, will you just shut up?"

"Ah… not shooting anything then, huh?" Tony said, smirking as he returned to his desk.

Tim pounded his fist against the desk and glared at his partner. "Look, I'm shooting, ok. Just…not enough."

The smile on Tony's face faltered when he saw the look of anger and disappointment on his McGee's face. After the conversation they'd had the day before, Tony had spent the evening thinking, trying to imagine a pregnant Ziva sitting across from them in the bullpen. Raging hormones bottled up inside a trained assassin who lashed out at his antic on almost a daily basis wasn't a pleasant thought… and would probably be hazardous to his health.

"So what's that mean? You can't have a kid or something? Yesterday you were all but bragging that you get to sleep with Ziva."

"I was, Tony." McGee smiled softly. "And it doesn't mean that we can't have a baby, only that it may be really difficult."

"But," Tony smiled. "Think of how much more fun you get to have trying." Then Tony shuttered at the mental image of his two friends.

"See, that's just it." Tim said as he found himself confiding in Tony. "After we decided to try and the first few months went by, it didn't really seem like…" He tried to find the right words that would explain and keep away embarrassment. "I don't know, it became like a chore."

"Sleeping with Ziva was a chore?"

"No, not like that." McGee said. "It was like part of a daily routine. Go to work, come home, eat dinner, have sex. The romance was being sucked away and I don't want that; I love Ziva."

"McGoo," Tony said as he got to his feet. Tim had rose to his own feet and begun pacing as he had tried to explain. It wasn't everyday that Tony listened willingly to McGee's problems and today he could only blame himself for asking.

Tony stopped Tim from pacing by putting his hands on the agent's shoulders and demanding his attention. He'd never seen Tim so upset and the closest he could think of was a case they'd worked years before when a witness was killed as McGee watched helplessly from an apartment across the street.

"I am sure there are ways to raise your…" Tony looked down sheepishly for a moment. "Uh, boys. Just, I don't know, stop blaming yourself."

"What?"

The two men turned to see Ziva walking toward them, her bag thrown over her shoulder. Tim quickly pushed Tony's hands off his shoulder and turned to his wife.

"You told him?" Ziva said, looking at McGee with an accusing eye.

"Well, yeah, I mean… I'm sorry, he heard me answer the phone yesterday."

Tony walked closer to his desk in case Ziva was planning on hitting him for invading their privacy. He smiled nervously as he spoke.

"Don't be to harsh on him, Ziva. I mean, a low count doesn't mean you'll never have a baby but-"

Ziva was surprised at what Tony had said and cut him off mid-sentence. "Low what? Did he tell you that it was his fault? That we are having problems getting pregnant because of him?"

Tim looked around at the attention their conversation was now receiving from other agents and tried to shush his wife calmly. He was sure that Gibbs would be coming around the corner very shortly to scold them for distracting everyone from their jobs, themselves included. Though, the stress from the morning information seemed to have taken over Ziva and there wasn't a way to quiet her in any way.

"Why, Tim? Why would you say it is your fault? Why not put the blame on the rightful person, huh?"

"Ziva," McGee started softly. "There is no blame."

"Is there not? Why not tell Tony the real reason that we are not pregnant?" She turned to Tony, a mixture of emotion stretched across her face. "It is not Tim's fault at all. It is mine. It is all me. I am the reason we are having so many problems."

Tony sat dumbfounded as McGee scooped Ziva up into his arms and could feel the release of her emotions through the small wet spot forming on his shoulder. He'd only seen Ziva cry twice before and now, the third time, it was his fault. He had tried to protect her and seemed to fail miserably.

"It.. It isn't you?" Tony spoke softly.

Tim swallowed hard as his arms wrapped around his wife in the middle of the full squad room. He knew that it was most difficult on Ziva; her years as an Israeli assassin, fighting and being injured, hadn't been to kind on her body.

"No," Tim said softly. "Doctor said something about repeated abdominal trauma."

The trio simply stood in the middle of the bullpen, Ziva crying softly into McGee's shoulder with Tony looking on in shame, while the other agents returned to their work.


	3. Decisions

"Do you remember that case we worked a few years ago? The kidnapped baby and the surrogate mother?"

Tim put a dish of potatoes on the table and returned to the counter to get the salad he'd helped to make. Ziva was already sitting in her chair, dishing some of the lemon chicken onto her plate. Nearly a week had passed since their fateful doctor appointment and the following encounter with Tony.

"You want to kill an innocent Petty Officer?" Ziva asked with a hint of a smirk.

McGee paused for a moment as he served himself some chicken before continuing his motions. "Funny, Ziva. No, I meant…" He glanced up to her. "Maybe we should consider a surrogate."

"I do not know, Tim." Ziva said. "Would you really want to do that after what happened in that case?"

"Well, we could find someone we trust, Ziva."

"Like who?"

"I don't know. Abby, maybe, or Sarah?"

Ziva looked up at her husband in astonishment at his suggestions. "Abby?"

"I know, it may seem awkward after our previous relationship but-"

"More awkward than asking your sister?" Ziva countered.

Tim had to admit, asking his sister would be slightly embarrassing but it was at least worth a shot. It wouldn't be cheap; the procedures were expensive but the end result would be worth all the money in the world. Perhaps he would send his editor another manuscript he'd been working on. He got to his feet and joined Ziva's side.

"It doesn't mean that we have to stop trying, in fact I hope we never stop." He smiled lightly as she picked up his meaning. "You are going to be a great mother, Ziva, no matter how it happens. It is only a suggestion, honey."

Ziva sat for a moment, silently eating while thinking over his proposal. Their apartment had seemed so quiet after Jethro had passed away a few months before. It had been the night after their second negative pregnancy test and had been unexpected. As they finished up dinner and began to clear up their meal Tim had started to glance at her every few moments. She hadn't been this quiet since the night of the test results.

"Alright," she finally said as they stood in the bathroom preparing for bed. Tim, who had been brushing his teeth, paused and looked at her. She wiped the towel across her chin and turned to face her husband.

"Alright?"

"We can try surrogacy." Ziva said matter-of-factly. "But we ask Abby first. Sarah just started grad school and I will not interrupt her focus."

Tim rinsed his mouth and turned back to her, putting his arms around her waist. "Do you know how much I love you?"

Ziva smiled and nodded her head. "Yes, I do." She reached up and kissed him quickly. "I love you, too."

It was Wednesday before Ziva had the time to speak with Abby. She was a little nervous as to what her friend's reaction would be. As far as she knew only Tony knew of her and Tim's plans; she would be confessing the whole story to the resident gothic scientist and then ask her to carry a potential child for her.

The elevator door opened with a chime and Abby's favorite band played loudly from the lab in front of her. In the inner lab she could see the outline of her friend dancing to the music with Bert the Hippo in her arms. She walked forward trying to keep from laughing in amusement. Catching sight of Ziva walking forward didn't stop Abby's antics and she quickly grabbed Ziva's hands and started guiding the agent to dance wildly with her.

"Ok, stop!" Ziva finally said as she slumped into a nearby chair.

Abby chuckled and turned down the music so they could talk. "Oh, come on, Ziva. You didn't even make it through the whole song."

"How do you dance to that for so long. What is that? A ten minute song?"

Abby smiled and walked out into the outer lab and looked at the evidence table expectantly. "What's the deal, David? Where's my evidence?"

"What?" Ziva asked. "Oh! Oh, there isn't a case. I came down to talk."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Tony talked Tim into a work out. I think he forgets that Tim and I train."

Abby smiled, "Oh, I bet you've taught our Timmy a few different maneuvers."

"I have not heard him complain or protest knowledge." Ziva smiled.

Abby had suspected something between Ziva and McGee before they had actually even started dating. She had probably been more excited than anyone when news got around that they were not-so-secretly dating (Gibbs knows everything!),

"So what do you want to talk about?" Abby asked as she started punching at buttons on her computer.

"Are you busy?"

"Oh, no. Just doing an analysis for Agent Reyes. Cold case." She turned to face Ziva. "What's up?"

"McGee and I wanted to ask you something. See," Ziva paused for a moment. "Tim and I are trying to have a baby."

Ziva was almost instantly interrupted by Abby's shriek and her arms wrapping around her neck in a tight hug. She pulled at Abby's arms in a struggle to breathe. Ziva had expected this reaction but it was twice as rough as she'd expected.

"Yay! Oh I knew it wouldn't be long after you guys got married. Timmy went and made you all maternal. That's so exciting! How long have you been trying?"

"Uh, five months. We saw a doctor and he said that it would be difficult."

"Difficult? No, no, there's no difficult." Abby said sternly.

Ziva smiled lightly remembering McGee's pledge. "Tim and I have both agreed to never stop trying."

Abby smirked. "Well I don't know how I can help."

"We were discussing our options and Tim remembered a case we worked a few years ago." Ziva thought for a moment on how to direct the question she had. "I did not want to mess up school for Sarah, so we were wondering if perhaps you might consider… being a surrogate."


	4. Venting

"How did I end up being on the wrong end of this deal?" Ziva asked as she rubbed the sore spot on her butt.

Tim put the cap back over the needle and stuck it back into the bag that Ziva kept in her purse. He waited as she carefully eased her jeans back over her hips and buttoned them. "It could be worse. Tony could be doing your shots."

Ziva turned and glared at her husband for a moment. "Point taken."

The pair had taken to using Ducky's lab for Ziva's mid day injections. It was cool, private and they knew it was sterile, to say the least. Ducky and Palmer always excused themselves whenever Ziva and Tim would arrive, promptly at 1:30, and return only after the pair would return to their desks.

"Besides, think of what I have to do."

Ziva smiled and strolled up to Tim and placed her hand on his chest. "Your job does not come with a sharp poke of a needle." Tim thought for a moment and groaned loudly. "Anyway, I thought I might give you a hand with your particular job."

Tim smiled as her arms reached up to circle his neck. "While I am not complaining, I think those injections are having some effects-"

"You would not want my help, Tim?" Ziva said as she inched her nose along the line of his neck.

A soft smile formed on his lips, Ziva had been highly flirtatious since starting the injections and it cost almost all his will to resist her advances. At work it wasn't so bad, Tony always had a few choice gagging noises he saved especially for those moments when Gibbs wasn't around; home, however, was much different. There were only so many chores that needed done and no one else to grasp Ziva's attention.

"Ziva, I don't think my job will be to difficult with you in the room acting like this." He reached behind his ears and grasped her hands, drawing them down as he placed a gentle, loving kiss against her lips. "But the doctor said that we couldn't," He cleared his throat as he glanced to the little device Abby and Ducky used to communicate. "Uh, right now."

She groaned and withdrew herself from his hands. He watched as she started walking around the autopsy tables and rolling her neck, as she only did when completely frustrated. This always followed his gentle put downs; her mood would change and she would get defensive. He'd heard one expectant father refer to it as: pregnancy without the big belly.

"I thought this was going to be easier. We would have a baby and I would not lose my job because Abby is carrying the pregnancy but all I get are these horrible injections and you fighting me off like a mosquito-"

"I'm not fighting you off." But Ziva continued her rant over his voice.

"Abby only has to take some pills and you, you get the easiest and more pleasing job of all."

Tim stood with a soft smile on his face. After nearly a month of injections, he had become accustomed to her venting and knew that soon she'd fall into his arms and apologize for being so emotional. He would again remind her of their long-term goal and how Abby was giving them a gift.

"Done?" He asked as she turned toward him and sighed. As he expected, she stepped into his embrace and whispered her apologies. "Trust me, you aren't the only one who is sexually frustrated. It isn't easy to turn down your absolutely gorgeous wife when she's coming at you with those big brown hungry eyes."

Tim pulled back slightly and cradled her jaw in his hands. "I love you, Ziva."

"I love you, too." She said before he kissed her. "Just know that you better have a lot of energy saved up for when the doctor gives us the okay."

Tim chuckled and kissed her once more before taking her hand, the bag and leaving Autopsy.

It was a few days later that Ziva returned to the clinic for the next portion of her part. The doctor had told them that she would be put to sleep for the duration of the procedure and then would be fine to return home after an hour or two. Since McGee wasn't needed for the retrieval process, and Ziva would be able to drive herself home, he had decided to go to work. He had gone the day before to supply his donation to Baby McGee and Monday afternoon, Ziva and Abby would go back to the clinic.

It seemed to clinical to the trio but Abby was always quick to remind them that she was ready to make them parents. Unbeknownst to Abby, the couple had already agreed to ask her to be the Godmother. They couldn't think of another way to properly thank her for what she was doing for them, aside from paying all the medical bills.

"So, McPapa." Tony said in greeting as he returned from the vending machines. "Today's the day?"

"Possibly. Won't be official until-" Tim stopped and looked at the Senior Field Agent. "You don't really wanna hear this, do you?"

"No, come on. I can take it." Tony said, clasping his hands behind his head and hoisting his feet onto the desk.

"Ok, well today they are extracting eggs from Ziva and then they will put them into dishes with my-"

Tony made a noise and rolled his hands in a motion telling Tim to skip that particular portion. "Then in a few days, when the embryo has enough cells, they will implant the eggs into-"

"Ok, ok. Nevermind." Tony grumbled. "I can't take it. Nice to know that you'll have a baby soon. Then perhaps things will go back to normal."

"Things aren't normal?" Tim asked, his fingers lingering over his keyboard.

"Ziva nearly tearing your clothes off while we are trying to present evidence to Gibbs? No, that's not normal."

Tim smiled, his cheeks slightly red. "It's the injections. It's driving us both crazy. The doctor said while she was doing the shots we couldn't…"

"Nyeh, Nyeh." Tony held up his hands again. "No details, Probie."

"Well, let's just say that no one on this team is having any fun." Tim said, returning to his work and eyeing his cell phone.

"Who says I'm not having any fun?" Tony asked putting quotations around the appropriate word.

"Are you?"

Tony stopped and glanced around the room for a moment. "Get back to work, Probie."


	5. Worries

Two months had past and again Ziva and McGee sat in bed with their eyes glued to pages. McGee was going over the last chapter of his third novel before sending it off to his publisher while Ziva pretended to be reading some romance novel with the picture of a blonde being held around the middle by a big, muscular guy.

"Ziva?" Tim said from his side of the bed.

However, Ziva didn't look up or cease the action of staring at the middle of the page. Tim sighed, put down his manuscript and plucked the book from Ziva's hands. She still didn't move or acknowledge him in anyway. He smiled lightly and leaned over and kissed her neck. She turned suddenly.

"There you are."

"I have been here all along, Tim."

He shook his head. "No, you haven't. I've been here watching you stare at the same page for fifteen minutes." Pulling her close to him, he drew the blanket up further over their laps. "You want to talk about tomorrow?"

She shook her head violently and returned to staring at a photo of the two of them hanging on the opposite wall. He hadn't thought that trying to have a baby would be so difficult. If she had been pregnant when she'd taken that first test, they would be parents by now. The difficulties had followed; five negative tests and one failed round of surrogacy.

"Abby feels good about this time. She wouldn't even take the Caf-Pow I brought her this morning. 'Too much caffeine,' she said."

Ziva nodded her head against his chest but continued her silence. Words she hadn't heard in years kept repeating in her mind. She finally had an answer to Gibbs' question and now it seemed that she'd never have her chance.

_Yes, Gibbs. I do want to have kids. _She could say the words now.

"I'm sending Turmoil to my agent tomorrow. She's gonna see if anyone even remembers Thom."

"I thought you were done writing after Abby was almost killed." Ziva said softly.

"Well, McGregor isn't with Amy anymore. He sort of fell in love with the beautiful Lisa." Tim smiled as she chuckled lightly.

Another silence fell over them and Tim wasn't sure what he could say anymore. He was just as disappointed with every negative but Ziva seemed to deflate more and more. He resigned to allowing her silence and was reaching for the bedside lamp when her voice stopped him.

"I do not know if I can, Tim." She turned to him finally. "I know it does not always work right away but I am not sure if I can do this again. Maybe you should go with Abby tomorrow."

"Ziva, I will not allow you to miss this. We both know that you will kick yourself if you don't go tomorrow."

"I do not think I am that flexible, McGee." She smiled.

"Cute," Tim grinned.

"Are you calling me cute?"

"Yes, but uh," He paused and looked toward the bedroom door. "Don't tell my wife I said that."

Ziva smiled. He was always good at helping her to forget her worries and tonight would be no different.

"Oh, you are married?" He grinned. "Does your wife know that you are trying to have a baby with me?"

"Shhhh, don't tell her that either."

Ziva laughed. It had worked. Her worries were forgotten for the evening as they turned off their bedroom lights and snuggled down into the warmness of each other.

The following day found McGee sitting at his desk. Paperwork was never really fun to do but he had to keep himself busy. The appointment was for 10:30 and the girls had left nearly an hour before. His busy work wasn't keeping him from glaring at his cell phone or his watch.

"Something on your mind, Tim?" Gibbs asked as he walked into the bullpen.

McGee looked up and then glance back at his phone. The empty desk of his wife seemed to be tormenting him; she and Abby should have been back by now. Unless…

"Uh, no. Just waiting on Ziva or Abby to call or come back or something."

"They aren't coming back, Tim." Gibbs was met with a blank stare from his boss. "Abby called and said she was taking Ziva home."

Tim visually deflated. He should have seen it; the signs where there that another round had gone by without success. Ziva would have called or come rushing back to NCIS had it been good news. Gibbs looked at his young counterpart with a look of sadness.

"Still nothing, huh?"

"No," Tim said softly. "Is is always this hard?"

Gibbs finished his coffee and threw it in the trash. Never did he believe he'd be having a conversation like this in the middle of the squad room with a member of his team. Yet, they were his family now. He trusted each of them and felt a certain kinship with McGee and Ziva.

"Not always, Tim. Depends on the person." He looked across the room. "Kelly wasn't exactly planned and came a little earlier than I had planned but that didn't stop me from loving her the moment I saw her."

"It just seems that the whole cycle is against us and, she won't really let on here at work but it really gets to her- the problems. How am I suppose to protect her from something like this? She was almost catatonic last night, worrying about the appointment today."

"She isn't the only one." McGee looked at the older man with a seriousness Gibbs had only seen twice before. "It's written all over your face too, Tim."

Behind them the elevator doors opened with a soft ding and Tony walked out balancing a bag on top of some drinks.

"Go on, get out of here, McGee. Give Ziver a kiss from me."

This caused both of his agents to look toward him. Tony had a look in his eyes. "Boss?"

"Sit down, DiNozzo." Gibbs ordered as Tim collected his bag and started for the elevator.

"Yes, boss." Tony said, tossing Gibbs his requested Meatball sub.

"What did McGee get?" Gibbs asked, unwrapping his sub.

"Portabella Mushroom." Tony said, pulling it from the sack.

Gibbs crinkled up his nose and then turned toward his computer once more. "Take it down to Abby."

Tim pulled up to the apartment, expecting to see Abby's car outside. He'd called Ziva to tell her he was coming home but she didn't answer. He finally relented to sending her a text and leaving a message on their answering machine. Tim walked somewhat slowly up the steps and into the building; he wasn't exactly sure what he'd be coming home to. His stomach gave a lurch and he mentally slapped himself for not getting his lunch from Tony before leaving. He had other things to think of at the moment, like how to console his wife on another bad day of trying to get pregnant.

As he opened the door his tensions mounted more as he found the sofa empty. The front rooms were void of human life. He made his way through the apartment, setting his keys, wallet, badge and gun on the table next to Ziva's.

"Ziva?" He called out into the silence.

As he entered the bedroom, he heard the shower running in the adjacent bathroom and sighed. Tim had only seen his wife cry a handful of times and he suspected that she was using the shower as cover, as she normally did. He peeled off his blazer and laid it over the foot rail of their bed.

"Ziva?" He said softly as he knocked on the bathroom door.

It opened almost instantly and his mouth nearly dropped. Ziva was standing before him with her hair down and nothing coving her body. A small smile emerged on her face as she saw him look her over. It had been far to long since they had properly greeted each other and she wasn't going to wait any longer for the doctor to tell her they could return to their normal sex life.

She reached up and began to unbutton Tim's shirt. In his eyes she could see his love and longing to be with her again. His lips moved, forming her name, but little sound came out. Pushing the shirt from his body, she finally heard a squeak in his voice as he spoke.

"Ziva, the doctor said-"

"I do not care what the doctor said. He isn't my husband and I want to have sex with my husband." She pulled him down toward her, capturing his lips with her. Tim's arms instinctively wrapped around her slender waist.

Tim pulled back slightly eliciting a growl from Ziva. "Are you sure? Shouldn't we talk about the appointment? And-"

McGee looked down helplessly, and slightly turn on, as his wife grabbed for his belt and started stripping it from his body. It had been quite awhile since he'd seen this side of Ziva, not that he minded. Through the fog that Ziva was creating in his mind, he tried to concentrate on the days events.

"Ziva, the appointment-"

She silence him with another kiss followed by a glare warning him against fighting. "You will make a great father, Tim, but right now you have duties as a husband."

Ziva finished pulling the belt from his waist and unbuttoning his pants, causing them to fall to his ankles. He caressed her jaw in his hands as she pulled him into another kiss, stepping back to rid him of the pants on the floor. She smiled against his lips as he pulled back from her with a start.

"Wait," He looked into her eyes. "Ziva?"

"We are pregnant, Tim."

* * *

The elevator doors opened with a ding and McGee and Ziva rushed out. It was a rare event that the pair was late and Tony was sitting looking in their direction with a gleam in his eye. Gibbs walked toward them from the stairs as they entered the center of the room.

"You're late." He commented.

"Sorry, boss. We were just…" McGee started.

"Celebrating?" Gibbs answered.

Tim and Ziva looked at each other for a moment before Tim nodded toward her desk where a vase of black roses sat.

""By the way, Ziva." Gibbs said, touching three areas around her neck.

McGee turned red as he noticed the areas that Gibbs was pointing out. A swift slap against the back of his head followed the tender kiss Gibbs had placed on Ziva's cheek.

"Congratulations, now go tell Abby she's getting an assistant." Gibbs said.


	6. Epiloge

"Tim, will you please just pick something?"

The couple were standing in the middle of a wine store while the owner threw glares at them followed by a heaving sigh and glance of his wristwatch.

"I just want it to be perfect."

"Tim, it is Thanksgiving and we were suppose to meet them 15 minutes ago." Ziva said from behind him.

"Please," Tim said as he finally made a selection and turned to his wife. "When have we actually been on time in the last five months?"

Ziva smiled and looked down into the double stroller. The two infants were asleep and she knew that the moment Abby saw them, they would be plucked from their carriers and covered in kisses.

"Besides, this is our first Thanksgiving as a family. Tony might complain for a moment but Leila usually quiets him."

The pair paid for the wine and pushed the stroller out of the store and started down the sidewalk toward their car. Ziva had originally been annoyed at all people staring as they walked around with newborn Leila. It had seemed ironic that after the surrogacy success, Ziva ended up pregnant from their night of celebration.

"Oh, they are so precious." An elderly woman said as she stopped and peeked into the stroller. "Are they twins?"

Tim smiled. That always seemed to be the question. Ziva had always hated explaining and normally ignored the question.

"No ma'am," Tim said quickly. "Uh, Happy Thanksgiving."

Tim and Ziva reached the car, packed away their children and continued for the destination. Gibbs' house had become the home for celebrations. As they pulled up to the house, they were greeted with Ducky's Morgan and Abby's hearse already in the drive. Tim honked the horn once and shut off the engine.

"Leila! Julian!"

Abby came bouncing out of the house almost immediately. Gibbs and Sarah closely followed. Gibbs watched fondly as Abby received the baby girl that she'd carried into her arms. Tim walked around the car with Julian's seat in his hand and gave his sister a one armed hug as she took the little boy from his father.

"Mom said that she wants us to come home for Christmas. Said she wanted to see her grandchildren and her daughters." Sarah started to walk off. "Oh, uh, and you too, Tim."

Ziva chuckled at the playful antics of her sister-in-law as Gibbs gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Tim put his arm around Ziva and looked up at the house. "Where's Tony? And Ducky?"

"Inside. Palmer brought along his girlfriend." Gibbs said as he followed the couple. "Breena, I think."

The three adults walked into the house that had come alive with laughter, friends and family. As the group circled around little five-month-old Leila, who was learning to get around the room by rolling, and two-month-old Julian, Ziva and Tim McGee felt as if their family was finally officially complete.

THE END


End file.
